Monday, September 04, 2006

Cured Meats Reduce Your Lung Function

Cured meats, hmm... delicious! But don't eat cured meats in large portions. Recent study shows that people who consume large amounts of cured meats have about 3% reduction in lung function compared to those who never eat cured meats.

The study conducted by Graham Barr at Columbia University Medical Center in New York, U.S. surveyed more than 7500 people - 20% of them never ate cured meats, while another 20% were regular consumers of cured meats at least 14 times a month.

During the study, participants breathed into a machine that is used to measure lung function and test on how quickly they could blow out air. Participants who were regular consumers of cured meats blew out 115 milliliters of air less per second than those who never ate cured meats. A healthy person usually is able to expel about 2.5 litres to 3.0 litres of air from lungs per second.

According to Graham Barr, a link between processed meats and cancer has been found on previous studies and this is the first study to show an affect on lung function in humans.

The nitrogen-containing compounds that food producers use to cure meats may become reactive in the body and attack proteins that give lungs their elasticity. A 3% drop in lung function may not be noticed by average person, but it is a significant and noticeable reduction for those with lung disease.

However, more researches need to be done and this preliminary analysis should not stop you from eating cured meats, just watch out your portion, please!